Tilbury and Southampton raided.
Night: Continued bombing of London and Merseyside.
Weather: Early morning fog in northern France. Channel cloudy with haze in the Straits and Thames Estuary.
Enemy Action by Day
The day began with early morning fog blanketing much of northern France and the Channel, limiting visibility. As the haze began to lift around 06:30 hours, coastal radar stations at Foreness, Dover, and Rye detected multiple formations assembling near Calais. At 08:10 hours, the first major raid of the day was confirmed: over 200 German aircraft—primarily Ju 88 bombers with a strong escort of Bf 109s—were approaching the Kent coast. The formations were widely dispersed across a broad front from Dover to Dungeness, targeting areas in Kent and the Thames Estuary.
Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park ordered eleven RAF squadrons into the air. Spitfires of No. 72 Squadron were among the first to engage the vanguard of Bf 109s near Dartford. During the initial combat, Sergeant J. Steere’s Spitfire was damaged, but he managed to return to base safely. No. 72 Squadron claimed one Bf 109 destroyed and several others damaged. Meanwhile, the main German bomber stream passed overhead and continued northwards toward the Estuary. Hurricanes of No. 17 Squadron and Spitfires of No. 92 Squadron engaged elements of the bomber force over the mist-shrouded Estuary. Both squadrons suffered losses. A Spitfire of No. 92 Squadron was shot down near North Weald, resulting in the death of Pilot Officer J.S. Bryson. However, both units reported inflicting damage on multiple enemy aircraft during the engagement.
Most German bombers turned back without releasing their payloads, likely due to poor visibility and the presence of defending fighters. German records indicate that many bombers returned to France damaged, with some crashing upon landing due to sustained combat damage.
Renewed German Attacks over Kent and the Southeast Coast
At 11:15 hours, a second large-scale German operation developed. A first wave of approximately 100 aircraft crossed the coast near Dover, followed by a secondary group of eighty aircraft entering via Ramsgate. Their intended targets were coastal towns and inland objectives in mid-Kent. Eighteen RAF squadrons were scrambled, but weather conditions and thick cloud cover hampered interceptions.
Hurricanes of No. 17 Squadron were attacked over Chatham by Bf 109s of JG 26, led by Major Adolf Galland. During this engagement, Pilot Officer H.A.C. Bird-Wilson was forced to bale out of his burning Hurricane after it was hit over the Medway; he sustained burns but was rescued from the sea. Galland claimed the victory—his 40th confirmed. Other successful Luftwaffe pilots during the day included Oberleutnant Anton Mader and Gefreiter Kaspar Amhausend (both of 1./JG 2), Hauptmann Günther von Maltzahn (Stab II./JG 53), Unteroffizier Fritz Schweser (7./JG 54), and Unteroffizier Hugo Dahmer (6./JG 26).
RAF fighters continued to intercept where conditions allowed, but the Luftwaffe’s high fighter-to-bomber ratio—typically two escorts per bomber—effectively shielded the main formations from attack. Weather continued to favour the attackers by obscuring their approach and masking formations during withdrawal.
Surprise Assault on Southampton and Portsmouth
At 13:30 hours, the Luftwaffe launched a surprise attack on the Southampton and Portsmouth areas. A force of approximately fifty Bf 110s from Epr.Gr. 210 and ZG 76 flew up the Solent from the south, bypassing defensive patrols and reaching their targets largely unopposed. One of the principal targets was the Supermarine Aviation Works at Woolston. While the main production plant escaped serious damage, a direct hit on a shelter outside the factory killed an estimated 100 workers. Anti-aircraft gunners responded with exceptional accuracy, destroying one Bf 110 outright and forcing two more to crash into the sea. A fourth aircraft, damaged by flak, managed to return to France with difficulty.
Following the attack on Woolston, the formation turned its attention to Portsmouth. Bombs were dropped on residential and commercial areas of the city, though the naval dockyard and major factories escaped unscathed. RAF squadrons were unable to reach the attackers in time due to the speed and low-level approach of the raid.
Afternoon Raids and RAF Interceptions over Southern England
At 16:10 hours, a second formation of approximately fifty enemy aircraft—comprised of Do 17s, He 111s, and Bf 109 escorts—crossed the Isle of Wight and advanced toward Oxfordshire. RAF squadrons scrambled to intercept included Hurricanes of Nos. 56, 238, 605, and 607, and Spitfires of Nos. 66, 152, and 609. Hurricanes from No. 605 Squadron engaged the Do 17s inland, while Spitfires from No. 66 Squadron attacked retreating Heinkels over Kent. Four German aircraft were confirmed destroyed, and two others damaged. Lieutenant Karl Roos of 5./JG 53 claimed his first victory during the raid, downing a Spitfire south of the Isle of Wight.
RAF casualties included six fighters lost during the day. Three pilots baled out and survived, while four damaged aircraft crashed upon landing. An additional eight aircraft sustained damage but remained repairable. German losses totalled eleven aircraft destroyed, with twelve aircrew killed or missing and six wounded.
Reconnaissance and Escort Operations
Throughout the day, German reconnaissance aircraft were active across East Anglia, Kent, the South Coast, and over strategic RAF targets including Biggin Hill and the airfield at Rye. A lone attack was reported against a target near Oban in western Scotland. In the Channel, three RAF squadrons escorted a Blenheim squadron tasked with attacking German shipping. During the engagement, two Spitfires were lost to enemy fighters.
Enemy Action by Night
Soon after nightfall, at approximately 19:30 hours, the first waves of German bombers approached the British coast. Formations from Le Havre and Cherbourg targeted Shoreham and London, while additional raiders from Holland entered over Norfolk and loitered over East Anglia. Although fewer in number than on previous nights, the raids were sustained and widespread. Around 22:30 hours, activity diminished temporarily as returning RAF bombers overlapped on radar with incoming German formations. After 23:00 hours, Luftwaffe operations intensified, particularly over the capital.
By 03:00 hours, bombing of London had reached its peak. Heavy damage was reported throughout the city. In Kensington, incendiaries ignited fires at the Sunbeam-Talbot Motor Works and blocked Warwick Road, forcing the closure of Earls Court Station. Westminster suffered multiple strikes, including fires near Boyle Street, Saville Row, Hungerford Bridge, and St Margaret’s Church. Battersea sustained rail disruption between Broughton Street and Clapham Junction. Lambeth’s No. 10 Platform at Waterloo Station suffered serious damage and approximately thirty casualties.
Industrial and civic targets across the capital were also hit. The Times newspaper offices and Blackfriars Station were damaged. In Edmonton, incendiaries struck the North Middlesex and St David’s Hospitals. At Ilford, Plessey & Co. sustained light damage. Railways and infrastructure across the city suffered from numerous strikes, causing transportation delays and power outages.
Beyond London, the Luftwaffe conducted raids on Liverpool, Plymouth, Hull, Middlesbrough, Manchester, and Dundee. At 21:00 hours, incendiaries fell on the Sunbeam-Talbot works. The city of Southampton, already hit earlier in the day, suffered additional damage, including a direct hit on a shelter at the Supermarine Works. Brighton sustained approximately fifty casualties after bombs and oil incendiaries damaged homes and utility services. In Luton, bombs caused multiple fires, and a mine was reported inside the Percival Aircraft Factory.
RAF Stations and Night Losses
During the night, RAF stations remained under threat. At Feltwell, bombs damaged hangars and destroyed one Wellington aircraft; another was damaged. Lympne was hit by 25 high-explosive bombs at 11:45 hours but suffered no serious losses. The flare path at Hemswell was machine-gunned, and a Hampden crash there resulted in one fatality and six injuries. Wittering, Digby, and Cranfield also experienced minor attacks.
In total, the Luftwaffe lost 20 aircraft destroyed or heavily damaged during the 24-hour period, while Fighter Command lost six aircraft in combat. RAF night fighter effectiveness remained limited due to the infancy of nocturnal interception capabilities.
German Losses:
Airmen: 12 | Aircraft: 11
British Losses:
Airmen: 2 | Aircraft: 6
Spitfire X4037, No. 92 Squadron
P/O J.S. Bryson killed. Shot down by Bf 109s over Essex and crashed in flames near North Weald.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Bryson.htm
Hurricane P3832, No. 605 Squadron
P/O W.J. Glowacki killed. In combat with Bf 109 over French coast and shot down.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/GlowackiWJ.htm
Photo Descriptions
- A Dornier Do 17 bomber drops its payload above England during an attack, September 1940.
- A formation of Heinkel He 111 bombers in flight, 1940. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-408-0847-10 / Martin / CC-BY-SA 3.0.